


Reconsider

by thebitterbeast



Series: you really are (not) my type [2]
Category: Primeval
Genre: A little angst, Gen, M/M, Misunderstandings, Possibly Unrequited Love, Prompt Fic, boys are idiots, you know things are up when even Cutter can tell things are off
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-22
Updated: 2014-04-22
Packaged: 2018-01-20 09:38:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1505642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebitterbeast/pseuds/thebitterbeast
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Connor is forced to confront Stephen about avoiding him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reconsider

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Connor/Stephen - tell me; a drabble about one character confessing something to another.
> 
> A sequel to 'Reevaluate'.

Stephen’s been avoiding him, Connor knows this as well as he knows how to write computer code. What Connor does not know, is _why_. What has happened in the past couple of weeks since he has been cleared by his doctor to come back to work? Connor had thought things were getting better between Stephen and him, after all, Stephen had been in the hospital _every day_ till Connor was discharged.  
  
But the second he was back at the ARC, Stephen was gone. The tech geek would only catch glimpses of the older man, of his tall, lean form, and bright blue eyes, before Stephen would disappear around corners.  
  
And it hurt. He feels a constant mixture of disappointment and pain. Connor curses himself, for allowing himself hope, for thinking that his relationship - _friendship?_ Connor does not know what to label them anymore - with Stephen could ever be anything beyond the tracker _tolerating_ him.  
  
So Connor shoves the part of his heart that has Stephen’s name written on it to the deepest recesses of his self and pretends that he is okay. He pretends that he can go back to being the comic relief, to being ragged on, to being useless in the eyes of everybody. He goes back to believing he is unimportant in the grander scheme of things.  
  
For the most part, it works.  
  
Connor has settled into a routine - he comes to work with Abby, he does his job _(more than simply competently, thank you very much)_ , he cracks the lame and geeky jokes everyone expects from him, he hides behind them. And everyone buys it.  
  
At least, that’s what he thinks.  
  
Barely two weeks after he comes back to work, Abby corners him and demands that he confront Stephen, because Abby _knows_. And that is a scary thought, because Abby knows, and according to her? So does Cutter. They know something is not right between Stephen and Connor, when they had both seen the two become something like friends while the tech was in the hospital.  
  
Bitterly, he asks the blonde how he is supposed to, when Stephen pretty much runs the other way when he spots Connor. Abby is sympathetic, but stern. He has to talk to Stephen, she says, if only so work will be less awkward.  
  
He hates that she is right.  
  
It takes him three days to gather his courage and barge into Stephen’s office when he knows the older man is there. The deer in the headlights look the tracker sports hurts Connor’s heart, but he steels himself.  
  
"I don’t know what I’ve done," he starts, "but the others have started noticing that you’re avoidin’ me, mate." He shoves his hands into his pockets and rocks back on his heels. “‘m not sayin’ we’ve ta be best buddies, but for the sake of the team, we got to at least pretend to get along." He waits a beat for Stephen to respond but when the other just stares at him, Connor shakes his head and turns to leave, murmuring, "Fuhget it."  
  
He does not see the panic that crosses Stephen’s face as he lunges forward and wraps his hand around Connor’s forearm. He hears the frantic-ness in his tone when he blurts out, “Wait.”  
  
Connor turns slowly, not even bothering to hide his confusion. Stephen does not remove his hand from Connor’s arm, and drums his fingers there. The younger man is pretty sure Stephen is unaware of his actions, but he wishes he would stop.  
  
"You’ve done nothing wrong," he finally says, when Connor is considering just leaving anyway. "It’s me, I’m the one," Stephen lets go _(and that is not disappointment, Connor tells himself sternly, he is not disappointed)_ and rubs his face wearily. “I’ve gone and mucked everything up,” he mutters.  
  
The geek scoffs and crosses his arms over his chest. He says nothing, which would be shocking to most people, but Connor is capable of being silent. He just prefers not to, he prefers letting people think he’s an idiot. He had let Stephen see through that for a bit, and had it thrown back in his face. So he remains silent and Stephen knows what he is doing and winces.  
  
"I -," Stephen pauses. "You -" he begins again and sighs. "I’m in love with you," he settles on saying bluntly. Connor is stunned as Stephen plows on. "I’m in love with you, and it _scares_ me because I’m not like you.” His blue eyes bore into Connor’s brown ones, and everything he is saying is so sincere that the younger man thinks he would not be able to respond even if he wanted to, his breath caught in his throat. “I’m not open and warm and inherently _good_ like you are. I’m an arse, and a twat, and you deserve much better than someone who is sure to hurt you in the end.”  
  
"You’re right," Connor gets out. Stephen looks hurt, but resigned, and Connor rolls his eyes. "You’re an arse," he continues, "and an idiot, apparently." His voice is warm and he steps forward, "And you lied. I _am_ your type.” He allows his lips to curl up as he marvels over that fact, before letting Stephen out of his misery. “Lucky you, you’re my type too,” his eyes hold nothing but fondness.  
  
The tracker is gobsmacked for all of five seconds before he closes the gap between them and presses his lips onto Connor’s. The kiss is heated, but Connor stops them before they lose their heads and pulls away.  
  
"You ever avoid me like that again and I will shoot you," he says blankly. Stephen smiles against Connor’s cheek and his breath ghosts on the younger man’s neck as he promises to never to.


End file.
